Country Mile

KEEP HERSELF ANCHORED

Adam's hand fell in a relentless rhythm and just as Delilah felt her resolve begin to crack, he began to lecture, which brought an even deeper groan of misery from the girl.

"I shouldn't be gettin' phone calls to come get you due to disciplinary reasons."

"M'sorry," Delilah mumbled through the cry wanting to escape her throat.

"I'm sure you are," Adam sighed, "I'm sure you're startin' to feel real sorry right about now, but I still want you to think about—"

The door suddenly flung open and a huffing Genna came barreling into the room.

"STOP!!"

Adam's eyes widened, his hand froze in the air and Delilah's head whipped up in surprise.

The shock of seeing his daughter standing there when she was supposed to be in school crumbled rather quickly beneath the weight of his redoubled anger.

His voice spilled out in a way that made Genna wince. "What the hell?— How.. you.."

Adam's teeth clamped shut and his mouth flattened into a grim line. He gripped Delilah by the arm and pulled her up with him as he stood.

He briefly took his eyes off of Genna as he looked to his youngest. Her face showed the contrition he wanted so he turned her to the side and gave her three final thundering swats that made the tears she'd been holding back spill down her cheeks.

"I get a call like that again, and I'll take you over my knee every damn night for the duration of your suspension. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

The blonde gave him a meek, "Yes, sir," then promptly folded into his forgiving embrace. He held her to him for a moment then pressed a kiss to the top of her hair.

"You stay in here till I come for you."

"Yes, sir. I'm sorry Daddy."

He gave her one last squeeze. "I know. I also know why you did it, Delilah, and that makes part of me mighty proud."

"That part just wasn't big enough to convince you not bust my a—uh, um.."

"Right," he chuckled.

Delilah slowly sat down while wiping her cheeks and giving a sympathetic yet grateful smile to her sister.

Genna smiled back, but the moment their father's icy blue eyes zeroed in on her, her smile fell.

"Now, Dad, be-before you—"

Her words fell short when in three long strides, Adam was swopping past her with her upper arm now clutched in his hand as he dragged her out of Delilah's room and directly into her own.

The door was kicked shut behind him and he wasted no time in sitting on the edge of her bed and pulling her to stand between his parted knees.

Everything about him seemed to be on fire. His hands from the way they gripped one wrist and one hip, his eyes and the way they blazed. Genna knew she had spared her sister, but wasn't going to be able to talk him into sparing her too.

"How did you get here?"

"I asked my friend for a lift home."

Adam's brow raised. "And which friend might this be? 'Cause I know Archer wouldn't have let you skip school to come home."

Genna smiled briefly, knowing the very same thing. Her boyfriend was such a handsome goody-goody and it warmed her heart and down right irritated her all the same.

"No.. I know. I didn't ask Archer. I asked my friend Rory."

"Rory."

This was the first time Adam was hearing of this friend and he could already tell he wasn't a fan. Anyone who would be willing to skip school just because their friend wanted to probably wasn't the best influence. The fact that it was his own daughter who convinced them to do it, didn't sit well with him most of all.